1BOX NOW THAT THEY'VE CONQUERED THE CITY OF PORTLAND - PEOPLE BEHIND THE LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA ARE TAKING THEIR CASE.. TO THE STATE. A STATE LEGISLATOR SAYS SHE WILL GIVE IT ANOTHER TRY - SUBMITTING A NEW BILL THAT WOULD LEGALIZE MARIJUANA USE ACROSS THE STATE. WMTW NEWS 8'S JIM KEITHLEY IS LIVE OUTSIDE CITY HALL WHERE PROPONENTS ANNOUNCED THEIR NEXT STEP. INTRO DIANE RUSSELL HAS BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR THREE YEARS - LAST SESSION HER PRO POT BILL NEVER MADE IT OUT OF COMMITTEE --AND WAS VOTED DOWN 8-TO-3. NOW SHE BELIEVES SHE'LL HAVE THE SUPPORT AND MAINE WILL BECOME THE FIRST STATE ON THE EAST COAST TO LEGALIZE MARIJUANA USE. IT WAS A LANDSIDE WIN ON ELECTION DAY - 67-PERCENT OF PORTLAND VOTERS APPROVED AN ORDINANCE LEGALIZING THE POSSESSION OF SMALL AMOUNTS OF MARIJUANA FOR THOSE RESIDENTS WHO ARE OVER THE AGE OF 21. "I'm stoned right now." TODAY AT CITY HALL, WAR VETERAN THEO WELTON TALKED ABOUT BEING A MEDICAL MARIJUANA PATIENT TO COMBAT PAIN CAUSED BY WAR INJURIES AND P-T-S-D - HE SAYS PUBLIC PERCEPTION IS CHANGING WHEN IT COMES TO MEDICINAL USE AND IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THE SAME HAPPENS WHEN IT COMES TO THE RECREATIONAL USE OF POT. "It's not about judging, it's not about fear, it's about finding solutions that work." STATE REPRESENTATIVE DIANE RUSSELL OF PORTLAND SAID TODAY MAINE IS PRIMED TO BE THE FIRST LEGISLATURE IN THE COUNTRY TO LEGALIZE, TAX AND REGULATE MARIJUANA. "I've consistently said this issue is coming, this issue is coming we should get ahead of it, we should do it right, we should do it responsibly. The issue isn't coming anymore. It's here." RUSSELL SAID DRUG DEALERS DON'T ASK FOR I-D'S SO NOTHING IS STOPPING KIDS FROM BUYING MARIJUANA - BY LEGALIZING AND REGULATING ITS USE WILL MAKE IT HARDER FOR KIDS TO GET - AND WILL GENERATE A MINIMUM 13 MILLION DOLLARS EACH YEAR IN TAX REVENUE. A RETIRED SUPERINTENDENT AGREES - "Let's take the cigarette approach. Let's take the cigarette model which is regulated, loaded-up with science, we know what's going on and use that to help young people move away from marijuana smoking. I think it will be quite a bit more successful that the scene we have now." OPPONENTS WERE WAITING IN THE WINGS - SAYING THE LEGALIZATION OF WINGS - SAYING THE LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA SENDS THE WRONG MESSAGE, - AND IT WOULD DO NOTHING TO REDUCE USE AMONG YOUTH - AND THEY SAY THEY HAVE THE FACTS TO PROVE IT. "I respectfully disagree. Alcohol has been taxed and regulated for a very, very long time and according to the Maine Intergrated Youth Health Survey, 65- percent of youth report easy access to alcohol. In comparison, 57- percent of youth report easy access to marijuana." RUSSELL WILL SUBMIT HER NEWLY RE-CRAFTED POT BILL TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON THURSDAY FOR CONSIDERATION. THAT'S THE GROUP THAT DECIDES WHETHER A BILL MOVES FORWARD. SIX OF THE TEN MEMBERS NEED TO VOTE YES. LIVE IN PORTLAND, JIM KEITHLEY WMTW NEWS 8.